| Ilya Ivantsov | SKA St. Peterburg | KHL | L | C | 5’8″ | 160 | Moscow | 2003 | 2020-2021: B- |
Neutral Zone NHL’s Ian Moran’s comments, February 2021: Ilya is a leader and in my mind he’s ultra competitive. He’s not the biggest guy, but he wins puck battles and positionally is as sound as they come. Rarely do you see him get caught on the wrong side of the puck. And if he does, Ilya’s compete comes through and he hustles his way to being on the correct side of the battle again. I think if this kid was 5’10” we’d be talking about him being in the first round, instead he’s a dynamic 5’8″ who someone will take a chance on late because of his intangibles.
Neutral Zone’s Ed Besinger, May 2021: Smaller Russian center that stands 5’8’’ and 160 pounds. Ilya played this past season for SKA in the MHL where he scored 33 points (eight goals) in 53 games. He also played seven games at the U18s and had five points (all assists). Smaller but has a sturdy frame. Not a burner but moves fairly well up and down the ice. He gets up to speed quickly and has good reactions to changes in the play. Balanced and good edges to make cuts. He plays on the right side of the puck and is a responsible center that helps his defenders and is always the third-man high in the offensive zone. He is a slick passer and loves using one-touch passing to spring teammates into good areas. Knows where he is going with the puck before it gets to him. Smart and always under control. Does not over commit and skates his lanes well. Will need to get stronger to win more puck battles but overall, he is a skilled, slick passer that makes his teammates around him better.
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